World So Cold
by XantheXV
Summary: "You could never be Lucy," he said. "I don't care," Madeline said. "I may never amount to what she was, but there's one thing I do know. I'll stand by you, no matter what. Just like I have been this whole time. I won't back down. Ever." Sweeney grasped her chin, making her look into his eyes. "That's why you can't be her. You have to be yourself." Rated T, and may go up. ST/OC
1. When it Rains

Author's Note: Welcome to my new full-length Sweeney Todd story! So just so you know, this will be AU and only following the plot of the movie slightly. Slightly being the key word there. It is also Sweeney/OC. If that doesn't tickle your fancy, don't feel as if you have to read it.

Well, let's get this party started. Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sweeney Todd. No part whatsoever, not even the barber himself. Sadly :(

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**Chapter One**

Cold and stormy. Those were the two words that could be used to describe London at that current moment. The muddy streets made it impossible for carriages to travel in the rain. Equally so for a run-down gypsy carriage. Said carriage came to a slippery stop on the corner of Bouverie Street and Victoria Embankment. Only one passenger exited the carriage.

The young woman, who now stood on the street in the pouring rain, was dressed in a deep maroon, mid-calf length dress, shrouded by a black coat the same length. Her black half-boots were muddy as she continued to step around on the street. Her raven hair was plastered to her pale face as the rain pelted her, immediately contrasting her to her tanned gypsy companions. In one hand, she held a carpet bag holding her belongs while the other reached into her pocket and grabbed some florins, and paid the driver. She shouted something to him in Italian and then reached inside the carriage to grab her guitar. A woman inside beamed at the girl, and said in a thick Italian accent, "We will miss you, Madeline."

"As will I," Madeline said.

She looked to the driver and smiled. He reciprocated the smile and took the hat he was wearing and placed it on top of her head.

"Ciao, Madeline,"

"Goodbye, Leo. Grazie!" She smiled and waved. She walked around the carriage to get off of the road, and then watched as the carriage pulled away. She watched as it grew smaller and smaller, and then it was gone.

As she walked up Bouverie Street, Madeline tried to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. But the thought of never seeing her adoptive family again caused a few to fall.

_Now is not the time to be crying, _she thought. _This is a new beginning._

With firm determination, Madeline continued down Bouverie Street and then turned a corner onto Fleet Street. The people she did see were rushing to find shelter from the rain, and she found it rather amusing. As she continued on, she began to feel a slight chill and decided that it was time that she found refuge as well. She became disheartened when she found that every shop she came across was already full to its maximum capacity.

_Where am I supposed to go?_ she wondered. _I need to find shelter fast._

Eventually, Madeline came to another street corner, where she found the answer to her unspoken question. Across the street from her was a two story building; the top story made distinguishable by a large window, and the bottom story, more easily accessible, had yellow lettering painted above several doors which read "Mrs. Lovett's ".

Praying to whatever God there was, Madeline ran across the street and opened the door to the pie shop. When she walked inside, she noticed how dark it was and that no one seemed to be there.

"Hello?" she called out.

No one answered her. _Did no one hear the bell ring?_ she wondered.

Just then, a woman with wild, curly, dark brown hair walked in from a room on the side. She wore a black dress with dark red ruffles on the trim, which contrasted with her pale skin and seemingly tired brown eyes. As Madeline looked her over, she noticed that the woman had patches of flour on her dress.

"Mrs. Lovett's," she said. "Can I get ye a—well, my, you are soaked ain't ya?"

Madeline gave the baker a small smile. "Yes. I was just seeking refuge from the storm brewing outside."

Mrs. Lovett nodded and eyed the girl's luggage. "Ye from out of town?" she asked. Gesturing towards the table, she added, "Go ahead and sit down."

"Thank you," Madeline said. "Yes and no. I was born in London, but my parents died and I was left on the streets."

"Oh, you poor thing," the baker said as she made her way behind the counter.

Madeline shrugged. "It happened, and there's nothing I can do about it. I'm just lucky that a gypsy caravan found me first and not a workhouse."

"Gypsies?" Mrs. Lovett asked, eyebrow raised. "Well, I suppose it is the better arrangement, eh?"

"Very much so."

"Can I get ye somethin' to eat, love?"

Madeline shook her head. "I haven't anything to give you. All I have is florins."

"Oh, well, then. Don't worry about it. It's on me. Ye look hungry."

"If only you knew. We didn't bring much on our trip."

Mrs. Lovett placed a plate with a meat pie in front of Madeline and then walked towards the parlor and grabbed a bottle of gin. "Florins," she said as she walked back to the table with a glass. She poured some gin into the small glass and handed it to Madeline. "Ain't that Italian money?"

"Yes. The caravan I joined was from Rome. When we got enough money together, we got passage back to Italy, where they raised me as their own. A couple of months ago we were able to come back and I had decided that I was ready to be back in London. It hasn't changed much."

"Must 'ave been nice to be in a city like that, eh?" Mrs. Lovett asked, sitting in front of the girl.

"Yes," Madeline said. "It was absolutely beautiful."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment, giving Madeline time to eat the meat pie and take swig after swig of gin. The pie wasn't the best—it was horrible—but it was definitely better than some of the foods she had tasted over the years. The girl looked out the window and saw that it was still raining, but it had lightened up a bit.

This cheered Madeline a bit. Looking to Mrs. Lovett, she asked, "Do you know where the nearest inn is?"

Mrs. Lovett gave the girl a smile. "Now, I know wot you're thinkin', and you don't 'ave to worry about it. I've got a spare room ye can stay in."

Madeline's deep brown eyes widened. "Oh, no, ma'am. If it's all the same, I'll—"

"Nonsense," the baker said, getting up from her seat. "It'll be no trouble for me, dearie."

"But I haven't a way to pay you back."

"Don't worry a tick about it. Ye need a place to stay and got no money, in a sense. It'll be nice to 'ave a female around 'ere anyway."

Madeline beamed at the baker. "Thank you so much," she said. "If there's any way I can repay you—"

Mrs. Lovett interrupted her with a smile. "Ye can help me down 'ere in the shop, if you'd like."

"Thank you."

"Why don't I show ye to your room, eh? That way ye can get settled."

Madeline didn't hesitate one bit. She grabbed her belongings and followed Mrs. Lovett out a side door and then up a set of stairs. When they got to the top, they passed by another room to a door adjacent to it. Mrs. Lovett put the keys into the lock to get it opened.

"Who lives there?" Madeline asked, pointing to the shop next to her new room.

"Oh, just Mr. Todd. He's a barber, plies 'is trade there," Mrs. Lovett explained.

"Oh." Madeline jumped a little when the door to the small apartment opened.

The baker gestured her inside. It was bigger than she thought it was. There were no windows, but that didn't really bother Madeline. Next to the door, there was a small night stand. On the opposite wall from the door was a large wardrobe. Along the left wall was a four poster bed with pale white drapes and matching sheets and across from that was a small vanity. Madeline walked further into the room and placed her belongings on the bed.

"There's a washroom just down that small hall right there," Mrs. Lovett pointed out. "The washroom itself connects back to Mr. T's, so you'll 'ave to knock before goin' in."

Madeline nodded. "Thank you, Mrs. Lovett. For everything."

"You're welcome, love. I'll leave ye to unpack, then."

With that, the baker left Madeline to unpack. She pulled her coat off and hung it on the door knob. She opened the wardrobe and placed her two other dresses in there, and then she placed her brush and stationary set on the vanity. All of her other trinkets were placed either in the drawers of the vanity, or on top of it with the rest of her things. Especially the picture of her mother and father that she managed to hold on to.

Deciding that it was best, Madeline grabbed one of her other dresses, a dark emerald green one, and change out of her soaked one. As soon as she was done, she ran the brush through her dark tresses and put it into a braid. Considering how long her hair was, it took a couple of minutes to do so. When she was done, she grabbed her soak clothes and headed for the washroom. Following Mrs. Lovett's advice, Madeline knocked on the door first. When no one answered, she carefully opened the door and placed her wet clothes on a rack for them to dry. She walked out, closing the door, and back into her room. She contemplated on what to do next. She felt that she should go back downstairs, but decided that she would rather strum on her guitar to relax from her long trip. It was only then that she realized that she left her guitar down stairs.

"Bugger!" she exclaimed.

Madeline walked back outside and down the stairs, not even giving the barbershop a second glance. She opened the door quickly.

"Sorry, I just left my guitar…" Madeline trailed off when she realized that Mrs. Lovett wasn't alone. There was a man standing at the counter talking to the baker. He was maybe a head taller than herself, with dark eyes and raven hair that matched hers, but had a strange, pure white streak of hair that started above the right eye. He was pale and lean, but still looked strong enough that he could hold his own. He also seemed as if he were suffering greatly from insomnia.

"I'm sorry," Madeline said. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"Nonsense," Mrs. Lovett stated. "Nothin' ye need to apologize for, dearie. Mr. Todd and I were just talkin' about ye."

"Oh?" the girl asked.

"Yes." Looking towards the barber, she said, "Mr. T, this is our new neighbor, Miss…" Mrs. Lovett turned back towards Madeline. "Sorry, I never caught your name."

"Oh! Sorry, how rude of me!" Madeline stepped closer to the two and extended her hand to the barber. "Madeline Hayes. Pleasure to meet you."

Sweeney Todd regarded the girl in front of him before finally taking her hand. "Likewise," he murmured.

Madeline couldn't help but shiver at his touch. It was as cold as he was acting. She withdrew her hand and then looked around, anywhere but at his cool gaze. It was then that she found what she was looking for.

"Well, I know I interrupted something, so I'll just grab my guitar and head back to my room, and you can finish your conversation." With that, Madeline grabbed her guitar and out the side door to the stairs, up the stairs and into the safety of her room.

She never noticed a certain barber watching her as she made her escape.

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed! Please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear from you, and your reviews make me happy and motivate me as well. I have a Facebook page set up for updates and pictures for my fics, and all sorts of other awesomeness. There is a link for it on my profile, so feel free to drop on by. :)

~Xanthe :3


	2. The Reason

Author's Note: Hey! How are things? Well, I hope things are going well for everyone. If not, maybe this chapter will help. I can't tell you how happy I was seeing all those reviews in my inbox. I'm glad I've gotten people interested :)

Thanks to those of you who read it and added it to your favorites. A huge thank you to my reviewers: **linalove, thelovelyflorencelovett, Katurz, ElleWillBite, Sweeeeny, Malfoygirl18, **and **music is life 99 xxx**. You are awesome! I honestly have my plot bunny, Charlie Plotterby to thank for this story. His soft, warm, and furry cuteness helped produce this! :3

Ahem...uh...shall we get on with the story? Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Sweeney Todd, the movie or the character. They belong to the collective genius of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, and Stephen Sondheim. I only own my DVD copy and the soundtrack (which I am listening to at this moment XD). So, I bow to skills far greater than my own.

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**Chapter Two**

For the next two days, Madeline got settled in. She helped Mrs. Lovett in the shop by cleaning and making pies that no one would eat. She went to the market with her to buy what vegetables they could afford to put in the pies. Whenever she was done with the chores for the day, she headed for her room and laid on her bed, strumming on her guitar. The one person she didn't encounter in the past two days was Sweeney Todd.

As Madeline sat strumming her guitar, she couldn't help but think about the barber. Something was definitely off about him. He had a cold demeanor and he never left his flat. In a way, she was glad. But there was something about him that was...familiar. She couldn't put her finger on it where she had seen him before.

_What could it be?_ she wondered. _What is it about him that's so familiar?_

Madeline continued to strum, a soft melody emanating from the instrument. It was usually at this time of the day that she would play and think back on her life, on all the things she had to be thankful for. She could say she was thankful for her family for giving her everything she needed before they died, for the gypsies who had taken her in as their own. She could now say that she was thankful to Mrs. Lovett for allowing her to stay. But the one person she was really be thankful for was her one friend, the one person she could count on. Her friend that she left behind when she left London in the first place.

Benjamin Barker.

To say that Madeline felt bad was an understatement. She felt absolutely horrible for not at least saying goodbye to him before she left. But she knew she couldn't, not if she had wanted to live.

She at least owed it to Benjamin to find him and explain to him why she left all of a sudden. Hopefully, he would understand and would forgive her. She wouldn't blame him if he didn't.

_But is he's even still around?_ she wondered. _Would he even want to see me if I did find him?_

The guilt was eating at her, to say the least, and so was her curiosity. So she did what she had to do. Madeline set down her guitar and grabbed her coat and hat. She was about to leave, but remembered how dangerous London could be at night, so she walked over to her nightstand and opened the top drawer where she kept the knife Leo had given her when she was younger. She sheathed it in the belt she always wore and then kept the coat over it to hide it. When she was ready, she opened the door and headed downstairs.

Before she headed down Fleet Street, she went into the pie shop.

"Oh, Maddy, dear," Mrs. Lovett said with her hand on her chest. "Ya gave me a bit of a fright."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Lovett," the young woman said. "I'm heading out and was wondering if you needed anything."

"Nah, love, I'm fine." Looking outside, she added, "Are ya sure ya want to go wonderin' around London at this time o' night?"

"I'm sure. I'm just going out for a small walk, and then I'll be back."

"Alright, but hurry back. An' be careful."

Madeline smiled at the baker. "I will." And with that, she headed out onto the near deserted streets of London.

She headed down the south side of the street with quick, fluid movements. She had learned to become quite stealthy in her years with the caravan, and it helped to get her out of many a situation. She just wished she had that stealth when she was thirteen.

Madeline was true to her word when she told Mrs. Lovett that it would be a small walk. Well, for her now anyway. It wasn't long before she was standing in front of a small, grey brick building. What hope she had that the inhabitants were still around dwindled quickly. The windows were boarded up, and there was a bolt on the door.

"No," she whispered.

Madeline walked up the steps and to the door. She couldn't believe it. The one person she trusted with her most precious secrets was gone, as well as his family. This was the house that she was raised in as much as she was raised in her own. The once illuminated windows only further brought on the cold feeling she had. All of a sudden, she felt alone again. Benjamin, her best and only friend, wasn't here.

She put her hand on the faded green door, and looked the building up and down. She had so many memories here. Madeline felt her cheeks suddenly become cold, and realized that it was due to the tears she had been holding back.

"Ben," she whispered. "Where are you? I want to find you. I want to tell you how sorry I am."

Little did she know, that he heard her whispered apology, in the form of another who had followed her. The same man who followed the young woman back to the shop, both of them with heavy hearts.

xxx

Madeline practically ran down the stairs the next morning. She had woken up late, and was cursing herself for it. She frantically opened the door to the pie shop and grabbed an apron right away. She was greeted by one of Mrs. Lovett's famously contagious smiles.

"Mornin' dearie," she said.

"Good morning," Madeline said, smiling back. "I'm so sorry I'm late getting down here. I slept in."

"Ah, don't worry 'bout it, love," the baker said, waving it off. "Could ya do me a favor and take this up to Mr. T? He 'asn't eaten much in the past few days, so he's prob'ly hungry."

Madeline gave the baker a small nod. "Of course." She took the tray from the woman and slowly made her way upstairs.

When she arrived at the barbershop door, she knocked on it timidly, awaiting to be allowed entrance. Then she heard it.

"Come in," a gruff voice said.

Madeline opened the door while managing to balance the tray while she closed the door as well. When she turned back around, she noticed that the barber was standing in front of a large window with his back to her.

"I brought you some breakfast, Mr. Todd," she said.

Since he was turned away from her, Madeline never got to see his eyes widen at the sound of her voice. But she did notice his shoulders tense. "Put it on the table," he said in a low voice.

She did as she was told and put the tray on the table where he kept his barber supplies. She then turned around and got a good look at the room. It was bare, with the exception of the table, a bed, a broken mirror, a chest next to the door, and the stove. Other than that, the room was as cold as its occupant.

She sighed when the barber didn't say anything else. _No thank you?_ she wondered.

"Will you be needing anything else, sir?" she asked.

The barber merely shook his head. "No."

Madeline nodded. "Well, if there's nothing else, then I'll just—"

Sweeney looked at the young woman. "Stay."

"Beg pardon?"

"I said I want you to stay."

Madeline was shocked to say the least. "O-okay."

Sweeney Todd turned around to fully face her and slowly walked up to her. He kept his dark eyes glued to her as he reached the table. He noticed how her dark raven hair contrasted with her pale skin, how her eyes resembled melted chocolate.

_Just like _her_,_ he thought.

Madeline felt a shiver run down her spine. She felt as if she were being judged in every way possible by those piercing black orbs. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't look away from them. She could get herself to look away from this pale-skinned man with matching dark hair and eyes, adding in the white lock he had in his hair.

_Why does he look so familiar?_ she wondered. It was beginning to drive her round the bend.

Sweeney was the first to look away, as he looked down to pour himself something to drink. He was also the first to speak in their moment of silence.

"So," he began. "What brings you to London, Miss Hayes?"

Madeline couldn't help but hesitate. When she didn't answer, he became impatient.

"Are you deaf?" he growled. "I know you're mute."

She couldn't help but feel her anger beginning to rise. "I was born and raised here in London, sir," she said. "I left when I was thirteen."

"Any family?"

"No," she replied sadly.

Mr. Todd quirked an eyebrow. "None at all?"

"I did at one point, but not anymore."

To say he wasn't curious would be a lie. "What happened to them?" he asked, taking a sip of gin.

Madeline looked up at the barber and then to the floor. She was beyond herself at his sudden curiosity about her life. "They were murdered."

Sweeney stopped mid-sip. "How?"

"Poisoned," she said, her voice beginning to crack. "Arsenic. Someone had slipped it into their evening meal." She huffed. "Thankfully, I was with a friend when it happened or they would have pinned it on me."

Sweeney couldn't help but scoff at the idea of the law pinning a murder on her. He knew very well that it wasn't beyond them to do that.

"Did they find out who did it?"

Madeline felt her anger rise. "No, but I do," she said, clenching her fists at the memory.

This did not go unnoticed by the barber. "Who?"

"_Him_," she whispered. Looking up at Sweeney, she clarified. "Judge Turpin."

Sweeney nearly dropped his glass. "He did it?"

Madeline nodded, fighting back the hot tears that were threatening to escape.

Sweeney stared at her for a moment. Here was someone who understood what he was going through. Someone who knew what it felt like to have everything taken away from you so suddenly. There was something that was nagging him in the back of his mind. A memory from the past that made its way back to the present. One of a young boy worried over the sudden disappearance of a friend.

Not being able to stand his gaze much longer, Madeline asked the question that had been nagging her. "Why are you so interested in my life, Mr. Todd?" As far as she was concerned, he hadn't shown any interest in her since she arrived.

"The more important question, Miss Hayes," Sweeney said. "Is why were you there last night?"

"I'm sorry?" Madeline asked, confused by his question.

"Why were you at my house last night?" he growled.

At that question, her anger rose. "You followed me?" she asked incredulously.

"Answer the question, Madeline."

"I didn't go to your house," she said. "I went to my friend's old house."

"And your friend's name?"

"What does it matter to you?"

"It matters plenty," he said, his voice rising in volume. "Answer me."

"Fine!" she exclaimed. "His name is Benjamin. Benjamin Barker."

All of a sudden, Sweeney forgot his anger. Forgot all of his anger towards the young woman who went walking around his former property. A house condemned after his parents' deaths. "Maddy?" he asked, not believing it was actually his long lost friend.

Madeline looked at him, quite confused. She stared at him, his brow knotted with worry and disbelief. But the more she stared at him, the more she came to realize just who this mysterious man was, why he seemed so familiar to her. "Ben?"

Sweeney barely nodded.

That's when Madeline released her tears. She walked up to him and put her arms around him. "Oh my God, Ben," she managed to say through her sobs. "I can't believe that it's you."

Sweeney debated whether or not to reciprocate the hug. He wanted to, but couldn't really bring himself to do it. Not when he wasn't Benjamin Barker anymore.

He shook his head. "Not Benjamin, Maddy," he said. "It's Sweeney Todd now."

Madeline looked up at him with a tear streaked face. "What? What do you mean? I don't understand."

Sweeney scoffed. "No, you wouldn't, would you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, withdrawing from him.

"You left, Madeline. You wouldn't understand because you weren't here."

She shook her head. "I left for a reason."

"And what reason is that? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't throw you out right now?"

"Because Turpin would have gotten me if I hadn't left!" she shouted.

Sweeney's dark eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"One of the gypsies who took me in overheard Turpin and the Beadle talking about how since my parents were gone now, that they would have no problem getting me for themselves. He found me and told me that it was the Judge who had killed my parents, and that I had to go with their caravan before he could get a hold of me."

If there was any way his hatred towards the man…no…towards the monster could burn anymore, Sweeney would have surely burst into flames. "He wanted…to…" he growled.

"Yes. I wanted to go say goodbye to you, but Leo insisted that we leave then."

The barber's anger towards his friend subsided. "You did?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Yes," Madeline said, more tears streaming down her face. "I wanted to so badly, so that you wouldn't be worried about me. So you wouldn't think that I was just leaving you like that. And I know I did, and…and I'm sorry. I really am, Mr. Todd."

Sweeney's gaze softened at her apology, at the tears she shed for not only for her family, as he knew, but for him as well. He walked closer to her and slowly, but surely, he pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on her head. He heard her crying, felt her body shake with each sob. Sweeney looked down at her, and then whispered in her ear a subtle "I forgive you, Maddy."

Madeline let out another sob. She never thought she would hear those words. She took deep breaths, allowing herself to calm down so that she could actually talk with her friend. She pulled herself out of the embrace and dried her eyes.

"Wh-what made you change your name?" she asked. "Why hide who you really are?"

"For the same reason you ran away. The same reason your parents died."

"The Judge?" she asked. "He wanted…"

"My wife."

"Your wife? You're married?"

That's when he told her about life after she left. He told her about his marriage to Lucy, the birth of their daughter, and his incarceration. Transported for life without hope of seeing his family. He told her of his escape from Botany Bay and how he found out from Mrs. Lovett that the Judge had raped his wife, leading her to commit suicide by poisoning herself with arsenic, and took his child. At this knowledge, Madeline curled her fists, her chocolate brown eyes burning with a fierce hatred toward the man that had ruined both their families, both of their lives. She knew hers turned out better than his did, but she couldn't help but feel that had she stayed behind, she'd be more broken then than she was now.

"He needs to pay for what he has done," she said through gritted teeth. "How could he get away Scott-free?"

"That's the way of the world, pet," he said in a low voice. He put a hand on her shoulder, hoping that would calm her down a bit. "Don't fret. We will have our revenge."

Madeline looked at him, a smirk playing at her lips. "And I want to be there when it happens."

Sweeney smirked back at her, and nodded. "Indeed, you shall."

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go. The end of chapter two. So, I'm apologizing right now if Sweeney seems a bit OOC. I really was trying, I swear. But honestly, if you were Sweeney, wouldn't you soften up your cold demeanor if you found out that not only is your best friend alive and well, but that the possibility of Turpin doing horrible things to her was what caused her to leave in the first place? I know I would, but that's just me.

Anywho...I would definitely love some feedback on this. I wish to know your thoughts. I really do. They make me a happy writer, and they make me write even more. ^-^

Those of you who don't know already, I have a Facebook set up so you can easily get updates, see some pictures that either I create or the awesomely amazing linlove create, or just random things. I even have a picture of Charlie Plotterby the Plot Bunny on there, too. The link to the FB page is on my profile, so come and join the madness...uh...I mean the fun. Come and join the fun XD

~Xanthe :3


	3. Hey There, Delilah

Author's Note: Alright, before anyone asks...no, I didn't die. And definitely not at the hands of our dear barber (thank goodness!). I've just been reading, working, dealing with screaming brothers and sisters, experiencing writer's block...no big deal. But, I got into a huge Sweeney mood, so I figured that I should update this story! So, that's where this chapter comes in!

I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to read this story. Huge thank you's to those of you who reviewed, these individuals being: **Malfoygirl18, linalove, dionne dance, **and **ElleWillBite**. You are wonderful people. Group hug, because you're all awesome!

Now, this chapter is pretty short, but I blame the flashback, so...yeah...Hope you enjoy it anyway :3

**Disclaimer:** Nope. I still don't own Sweeney Todd (sad face). *sighs* And it's never going to happen. What can you do? But Madeline is of my own creation.

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**Chapter Three**

"Help me with this chair, won't ya dearie?"

Madeline turned away from sweeping the shop to see Mrs. Lovett struggling with a large chair. She quickly put down the broom and opened the side door. She picked up the other side of the chair and managed to help the baker get the chair up the stairs and into the barber shop.

Upon seeing the barber, Mrs. Lovett asked, "Where would ya like this, Mr. T?"

Mr. Todd barely looked over his shoulder, and merely grunted, "There is fine." He roughly gestured his sharpening block towards the middle of the room.

The two women carried the chair to the indicated spot and set it down, centering it before the baker sat down in said chair. It was intricately designed. The seat and back of the chair were cushioned and covered in a red leather, while the rest of it was made entirely of wood. The tips of the armrests were covered by silver lions' heads that, with a bit of polishing-up, would glisten in the sunlight.

Madeline took a seat on the chest next to the door and looked out of the large window across from her, the very same window that Sweeney was standing in front of. As she stared out the window, she couldn't help the wave of nostalgia that went through her at that moment. She heard nothing of the conversation that went between the barber and baker. Madeline only thought of the first time she had walked into a barber shop; the first time she met Benjamin Barker.

xxx

"_Is it scary there, Papa?"_

"_No, Madeline," her father said. "I'm just going in for a quick shave and then we'll be out. Alright?"_

_Young Madeline nodded. "Alright."_

_The young girl held tight to her father's hand as they walked up to the small tonsorial parlor off of the corner of Aldwych and Drury Lane. It didn't look like much, but better than the other shops that were set up on Fleet Street._

_Her father, a lean man of two and thirty years, opened the door to the shop and led his daughter of ten years inside. Upon entering, an older gentleman, maybe ten years older than Mr. Hayes, was seen sweeping off his barber's chair of excess hair. Hearing the tinkling of the bell, the barber looked up and smiled, seeing who his next customer was._

"_Ah, Mr. Hayes!" he exclaimed. "I was beginning to wonder when you would be coming back."_

"_I always have time for you, Charles," the younger man said._

"_Your usual, then, I presume?"_

"_As always."_

_Richard Hayes sat in the chair while Madeline sat on a bench next to the door across from her father and the barber. She watched as the older man whipped up some shaving lather and set to wiping it across her father's stubby chin. The barber noticed her and smiled._

"_And who is this lovely young lady?" he asked._

"_Barker, this is my daughter, Madeline," her father said._

"_Ah, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Madeline!"_

_Madeline smiled, one of her teeth missing. "The pleasure is mine."_

"_I see we're missing a tooth, miss. Has the Tooth Fairy visited you already?"_

_She nodded. "Yes. I received a whole pound!"_

"_My! That's quite a bit for a tooth."_

_Madeline smiled, pride filling her at how valuable her tooth was. She looked away from Mr. Barker for a moment when she noticed a flower pot on the window sill behind him. Inside the pot were her favorite flowers. Delilah flowers._

"_Your flowers are really pretty," she said._

"_Thank you, miss," Mr. Barker said as he finished shaving away the last bit of hair from her father's chin. He was known to be the best barber in London. Looking back to his best customer and friend, he added, "Well, Richard, you're all set."_

_Hayes rubbed his now clean-shaven face with the cloth that Barker had handed to him. "Thank you, Charles. The usual rate, I presume?"_

"_Now, Richard…"_

"_I insist, Charles," Hayes argued. "After all, a man has to make a living."_

_The older gentleman chuckled. "Alright, you win, my friend."_

_As the young lawyer stood from the chair, a boy around Madeline's age, maybe older, walked in carrying a broom. He walked up to Mr. Barker._

"_Ah, Benjamin!" Mr. Barker exclaimed. "Right on cue! Just near the chair, son."_

_The boy, as she now knew as Benjamin, did as the barber asked. When he was done, he placed the broom next to the vanity desk and picked up one of his father's razors. They were silver, polished just enough that they gleamed as the light caught them._

"_Careful, Ben," the barber warned._

_Benjamin carefully placed the razor back, smiling sheepishly as he did._

"_That's young Benjamin?" Hayes asked. "Why, I almost didn't recognize him! You've grown young man."_

_Madeline got up from her spot on the bench and walked up to her father, grabbing his hand. She quickly hid behind him._

"_Ah. I see someone is a bit shy," Barker observed. "No need to be afraid of him, Miss Madeline."_

"_Indeed," her father said. "Madeline, this is Benjamin Barker, Mr. Barker's son."_

_Very timidly, Madeline peeked around her father and extended her hand. "Hello," she managed to say._

"_Hello," Benjamin said, taking her hand and shaking it._

"_Benjamin is the one who had planted those Delilah flowers," Mr. Barker explained. "He helped his mother with them."_

"_They beautiful," Madeline told Benjamin._

"_Th-thank you," he said, finally letting go of her hand._

_After that small exchange, father and daughter said their good-byes and left the small shop, knowing that the Barkers would have more customers soon._

_Madeline returned to the barber shop with her father every visit he made. And Benjamin Barker and Madeline Hayes started what became a beautiful friendship._

xxx

_Where has the time gone? _she wondered. _What happened to the days when Benjamin Barker and Madeline Hayes could go about their day normally, without a care?_

She knew what happened. Just the thought of the Judge and Beadle Bamford made her blood boil. To think of all the things that Johanna had been put through made it boil even more.

Sudden movement out of the corner of her eye caused Madeline to break from her thoughts. She looked up to see Sweeney standing next to her, razor in hand. In a split second, the door opened, and a boy of no more than eighteen burst in.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he said. "Excuse me."

"Mrs. Lovett's, sir," the baker said.

"A pleasure, ma'am."

The boy looked around the room, and seemed to find exactly what he was looking for. Upon seeing the barber, the boy closed the door to the shop. Looking at Mr. Todd, he said, "Mr. Todd, there is a girl who needs my help. Such a sad girl and lonely, but beautiful, too and…"

"Slow down, son," Sweeney said, leading the boy to sit in the barber chair.

Taking a seat, the boy apologized and continued. "Yes. I'm sorry. This girl has a guardian who keeps her locked away, but then, this morning she dropped this." The boy dug into his pocket and pulled out a key with a ribbon on it. "Surely a sign that Johanna wants me to help her. That's her name, Johanna. And Turpin is her guardian. He's a judge of some sort."

At the mention of Johanna and the Judge, Sweeney and Madeline looked up, making eye contact briefly with each other and Mrs. Lovett. All three continued to listen to the boy.

"Once he goes to court, I'm going to slip into the house, release her and beg her to come away with me tonight."

"Oh, this is very romantic," Mrs. Lovett said.

The boy turned and face the baker with a smile. "Yes," he said. Turning back towards the barber, he added, "But I don't know anyone in London, you see. And I need somewhere safe to bring her 'til I've hired a coach to take us away. If I could keep her here just for an hour or two, I'd be forever in your debt."

Madeline looked at Sweeney, who seemed to be contemplating the plan of keeping Johanna here. Seeing his slight hesitation, she said, "Bring her here, lad."

"By all means," the baker added in agreement.

This made the sailor smile. "Thank you, ma'am. Mr. Todd?"

The barber looked at the sailor and barely nodded his consent.

The boy shot out of the chair and shook Mr. Todd's hand. "Thank you. Thank you, my friend." He turned away, running towards the door, adding in a "Thank you, ma'am!" to Mrs. Lovett and Madeline before heading out of the door.

Once the door closed, Mrs. Lovett said, "Seems like the Fates are favorin' ya at last, Mr. T." Noticing the tension coming from the barber, and his even gloomier (if it was possible) expression, she added, "Wot is it? You'll have her back before the day is out. And ya've got your friend back. Everythin' is workin' out for ya, isn't it?"

Mrs. Lovett had become aware of the friendship between Madeline and Sweeney Todd three days ago. Madeline had come running down the stairs from her small reunion, excited about finally remembering who the barber was. This made the baker a bit more anxious, but the girl had said that they were only friends, so there was no reason to worry.

"What about him?" the barber asked, pulling out a sharpening belt and putting it on the new chair.

"Him?" she asked, breaking from her thoughts. "Oh, well, let 'im bring 'er here. And then, since you're so hot for a little," she paused, bringing her index finger across her neck from side to side, as if slicing it open. "That's the throat to slit, my dear."

Madeline was appalled by the baker's statement. "Now, I don't think we need to resort to that. He hasn't done anyone any harm," she argued.

Mrs. Lovett shrugged. She set a teapot on to boil and then stared off into the distance. "Poor little Johanna," she mused. "All those years without a scrap o' motherly affection. Well, I'll soon see to that."

As the baker went on, Madeline joined Sweeney at the far window, hoping to talk him into leaving the sailor be. However, she was distracted by the sight of a rather overdressed Italian and small boy walking onto Fleet Street heading towards the shop. Mrs. Lovett joined the two and saw what caught their attention.

"'Ello. Wot's he doin' here?" she wondered out loud.

Sweeney looked at the two women. He then locked eyes with Madeline, and he ordered, "You and Mrs. Lovett keep the boy downstairs."

Without hesitation, the two women nodded and headed out of the shop.

* * *

A/N: *listening to the movie going on in the background* Oh, the chapter's done. Like I said, it's short. In my defense, it was that flashback, I swear...and I though where I stopped was a good stopping spot. *shrugs* Eh, so sue me! It's a short chapter!

ANYWHO...I hope you enjoyed the chapter nonetheless. Liked it? Hated it? Let me know! I love feedback, as it keeps me on my toes. Besides...the more feedback I get, the quicker I roll out these chapters. And they make me very, VERY happy. Reviews are my only payment, ya know.

And don't forget, I'm on Facebook, too. Come join the madness by pressing the link on my profile. And those of you who have already done so, please PM me who you are on FB so that I know who you are. I say PM, because I'm sure that not everyone here wants everyone to know who they are...for privacy's sake. I'm at 14 likes, and looking to add on more. Is it too much to ask to see if we can make it to 25 likes? Is it? I hope not O_O Sorry guys, I'm tired, hyper, and it's 3:05 am where I am in the world. So...yeah...time for me to hit the sack.

GOOD NIGHT, EVERYONE! Or, I guess it's good morning...hehehehe...

~Xanthe :3


	4. No More Mr Nice Guy

Author's Note: Hey guys! So...I'm in a huge Sweeney mood, so that's why this story is being update before _A __Broken Heart Mended. _And I managed to finish this chapter at 3:30 in the morning where I am in the world. Yay me! I promise that I will update BHM next.

Anywho...huge thank you to those of you who have been reading this and adding this story to your favorites. Hugs and kisses to **linalove, Malfoygirl18, ElleWillBite, CookieMonster1220, **and **SkittleMachine **for the reviews. *sniffs* You are all awesome! If I ever make a Sweeney Todd-shaped cake, you would each get a piece of him...it (hehehe, get it?).

And a chapter dedication or drawing of a chibi Sweeney (your choice) for those of you who can guess the reference I made to a certain movie within this chapter.

And...that's it! Enjoy guys!

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Sweeney Todd. As is an obvious fact. But I sure wish I did...*sigh* I'd like him to sing me to sleep every night. That would be nice.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

"Signora—and Signorina—is Mr. Todd at home?" the ridiculously dressed Italian asked.

"Plyin' 'is trade upstairs," Mrs. Lovett answered. The baker looked over to the boy, who looked to be about thirteen. "Oh, would you look at it now. You wouldn't mind if I gave it a nice, juicy meat pie, would you?"

The man looked completely bored, much to Madeline's chagrin. "Sí, sí, sí, whatever you want."

_How rude_, she couldn't help but think.

The baker winked at the boy and walked down the rest of the stairs. "Come on, lad," she said once she made it closer to him. Despite the boy's age, he was almost as tall as Mrs. Lovett. As they disappeared into the shop, the baker added, "You're teeth are strong, I 'ope."

Madeline was about to join them when the gentleman blocked her way. She smiled as sweetly as she could, despite her annoyance.

"Sir," she said politely. "You will not be able to conduct your business with Mr. Todd if I remain an obstacle in your path."

The man removed his hat and gave her a slight bow. "Ah, but if you are that obstacle, signorina, then my business with Mr. Todd can wait." At this, he grabbed her hand and placed a chaste kiss there. A kiss that made her skin crawl with disgust.

As the gentleman rose, Madeline quickly removed her hand from his gloved one and gave him a quick smile, one she didn't mean in the slightest.

"You flatter me, sir," she said. "I do not deserve such a compliment."

"Ah, but a rare flower such as yourself deserves such."

Now Madeline just felt uncomfortable. She gave a slight cough, and then said, "Well, if you'll please excuse me, sir, I must help Mrs. Lovett in the shop." She wedged her way down the stairs past the man. "Those pies won't make themselves."

"Sí. Until we meet again."

Madeline gave him another polite smile and hurried into the pie shop. Once she closed the door, she breathed a sigh of relief.

In response, she heard a chuckle. She looked up to see the baker smiling.

"I don't know what you're smiling about," Madeline said. "I thought he'd never go up those stairs."

Mrs. Lovett gave her an innocent look. "Wot on earth are ya talkin' about, love?" she asked. She walked away from the counter and placed a pie in front of the boy.

"Here we are," she said. "Tuck in."

The boy did just that. He grabbed the pie and began to inhale it. The sight of it nearly made her sick, thinking of how the pie tasted.

_Give the lad a break,_ she scolded herself. _He probably hasn't had a decent meal by the look of it. Doesn't look like the man really took care of him. Then again, nowadays, who does?_

"I like to see a man with a healthy appetite," Mrs. Lovett said, breaking Madeline away from her thoughts. "Reminds me of my dear Albert. Liked to gorge 'imself to bloatation, he did."

The baker, who looked at a picture of the late Mr. Lovett, had a far off look about her. It sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn't shake the feeling of there being another meaning behind what Mrs. Lovett said.

"He didn't 'ave your nice 'ead of hair, though."

That was the first time Madeline had noticed the boy's blonde locks.

"To tell the truth," the boy said with a mouthful of meat pie. "It gets awful 'ot."

With that, the boy pulled back what was actually a blonde wig and revealed a short crop of messy brown hair.

_Why on earth would he need to wear a wig?_ Madeline wondered.

She shrugged it off, thinking nothing of it. Mrs. Lovett got up from the bench she was sitting on and began straightening up the counter area while Madeline began sweeping. A few minutes passed and she moved onto straightening up the parlor. That's when she heard it.

A loud _thud_ came from upstairs.

_What was that?_

She quickly walked back into the shop where she saw the baker start banging a couple of bowls around.

"My, my, my," she said. "Always work to be done." To the boy, the baker added, "Spic an' span, that's my motto."

_Did I just imagine it then?_

Madeline, doubting herself, shrugged it off as her imagination and continued to clean the parlor. She walked back and started to walk up the stairs to sweep them when she heard the boy start.

"Oh, God!" he exclaimed. "He's got an appointment wif 'is tailor. If 'e's late, 'e'll blame me!"

Before Mrs. Lovett could stop him, the boy ran out of the side door and up the stairs to the barber shop.

Madeline watched as the boy left. She walked over to the window, continuing to watch him, and looked over to the baker.

"What on earth was that all about?" she asked.

"Who knows? Poor thing is scared out of 'is wits." The baker sighed, and then continued. "If only you 'ad been there a few days ago."

"What happened?"

"Well, Mr. T and me 'ad gone to the market trying to get 'im noticed as a barber. He challenged that gentleman you saw. 'Is name is Pirelli, and Mr. T revealed 'im as a fake. Awful man took it out on that boy."

Madeline nodded. "I see."

_The cold cruel reality of the world._

At the sound of the door opening, she turned and noticed that the boy had returned, smiling like a Cheshire Cat.

"Mr. Todd said that I could have some gin!" he exclaimed.

"I'll get ya some, dearie," Mrs. Lovett said. "You just sit tight, alright?"

Madeline's eyes widened. "You can't be serious! A child doesn't need to be drinking. Especially at his age."

"It's alright, miss," the boy said. "They used to give it to us in the workhouse."

At the mention of the workhouse, she shuddered. Madeline couldn't imagine what happens there, and she knew she could have easily ended up there herself when she was younger.

When her parents were murdered.

Madeline shook those thoughts out of her head. She smiled at the boy and, deciding on seeing what the barber was up to, she opened the side door and headed out. She climbed up the stairs up to the barber shop and opened the door as soon as she made it to the top.

What she saw next disturbed her greatly, making her feel sick all of a sudden.

As she opened the door, she saw the barber standing over the Italian, whose face was bloodied as if he was hit repeatedly, and, flicking his razor open, held his head back as he drew the razor across the man's throat. She witnessed as blood splattered onto the ground and on Sweeney's sleeve. She watched with horror stricken eyes as her friend laid the body in the chest and closed the lid. It wasn't until he pulled out a cloth that was pushed into his pocket to clean his razor that he noticed that he had an audience.

Who his audience was caused his dark, unfathomable eyes to widen.

"Madeline?"

At him saying her name with a flicker of worry, her world went black.

xxx

She could hear the thudding of footsteps against wood. The sound of someone pacing back and forth. Madeline stirred, slowly opening her eyes in case the fall had caused her any trauma. Surprisingly, she found that she was still in the barber shop, and that it was night time.

_I was unconscious for that long?_ she wondered.

Slowly, Madeline sat up taking in her surroundings. As she looked to her left, she noticed that it was the barber's pacing she was hearing.

"Mr. Todd?"

Her voice stopped him dead in his tracks. The barber looked away from his razor and towards his friend. Carefully, he walked towards her.

"Madeline," he said with enough care that it almost seemed out of character for him. Over the days, Madeline knew that his cold demeanor was due to being locked up in Australia all those years. She couldn't blame him really.

"What happened?" she asked.

Sweeney sat down at the foot of the bed. "You passed out," he muttered. "I had forgotten that you faint at the sight of—"

"Blood," Madeline finished in a whisper.

He nodded ever so slightly.

A brief glimpse over at the chest next to the door caused her to remember what had transpired earlier that day—the Italian coming into the shop to discuss business with Mr. Todd only to end up having his throat sliced open from ear to ear. Remembering all of the blood that was spewing from the gentleman's body and splattering onto the floor caused her to shudder in fear. When she looked up, she noticed that the barber's brow was knotted in worry.

"You killed him," she whispered.

"I had to."

Madeline shook her head, not believing what she was hearing.

_The Benjamin I know would never do that,_ she thought.

_**He's not Benjamin anymore,**_ her inner voice pointed out. _**He's Sweeney Todd now. He said that Benjamin Barker died in Australia, remember?**_

She didn't want to believe that her friend had become a killer. He may be a different man now, but that doesn't mean that she had to condone such actions.

Madeline noticed that the barber formerly known as Benjamin Barker slowly scooting toward her. He reached out to grab her hand, but she scooted away from him, hugging the wall.

"Why?" she asked. "Why kill an innocent man?"

"He remembered who I was," Todd simply said. "He tried to blackmail me."

"That doesn't mean—"

"He would have told the Beadle and then we would never be able to get to the Judge."

At that, Madeline froze. The fact that the Italian, who could have been a total stranger for all she knew, somehow knew who Sweeney was originally and would have stooped low enough to go to the law put her teeth on edge. If there was something she had learned from living with gypsies, it was that you always treat those you meet on your travels as family and do what you could to protect them. No matter who they were. Her parents had taught her that as well.

She remembered a motto that one of her great aunts on her mother's side had taught her. _We would feast on those who would try to subdue us_. Madeline always thought it was strange, but it always made since to her in some way.

Madeline was so lost in her own thoughts that she never noticed Sweeney scoot close to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Maddie?" he called out to her, trying to bring her back to reality.

He was about to start shaking her into her senses when she asked in a monotone voice, "What are you going to do with the body?"

The question caught him off guard, but he quickly recovered. "It's been taken care of."

Madeline looked up at him. "How?"

"We sent it down to the bake house. There, Mrs. Lovett will make the flesh into pies."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"You heard me," Sweeney growled. "Desperate times call for desperate measures, pet."

Madeline ignored the pet name her gave her just now, only focusing on what the plan was, or seemed to be. "I suppose they do. I'm guessing that the Italian's body won't be the only one going into the pies, then?"

"No. By the time the Judge comes back here, I'll be ready for him."

"And both shops will gain reputations of their own. Cannibalism and murder." Madeline said the later with contempt lingering in her tone.

"That's the beauty of it, pet. We'll be careful who we choose." The barber rose from his spot on the bed and walked to the large window, where he usually liked to stand and think. Madeline learned that her third day back in London.

Madeline got up from the bed, now that her head wasn't spinning any longer, and joined him at the window.

"And what of me?" she asked almost timidly.

"What?"

"What are you going to do with me? I know who you are and what your plan is. Are you going to kill me and put me into a pie as well?"

Sweeney turned to his friend and looked her straight in the eye. He could tell that she was dead serious in her questioning of his motives.

"No," he whispered.

"Really?" she asked, both in relief and disbelief. "Why is that?"

"Because…I trust you not to."

To say that she was shocked would be an understatement. If she thought that he was a bit out of character earlier, then he certainly knew how to take her by surprise. But she knew that trust stemmed from the friendship the two shared, and would hopefully keep.

Madeline nodded. "I'm glad you say that. And I hope you know that I would do absolutely nothing to betray that trust."

Sweeney looked back out the window. "Of course."

"Good."

Madeline waited for him to say more, but when he didn't she turned away and started heading for the door. Until she was stopped by a cold hand wrapping around her wrist. She gasped at the contact and turned to face the barber.

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"My room. I need some sleep."

"Out of the question."

"Pardon me?" she asked incredulously.

"You're staying here, Madeline."

She could feel her anger starting to rise. "No, I'm going to my room."

"I don't think you heard me," the barber said, his voice grating. "You're staying here in the shop, where I can keep an eye on you."

"Are you crazy? I'm not staying in here."

By now, Todd's patience was running thin. He dragged Madeline over to his bed and shoved her onto it.

"I said, you're staying in here. That's my final word on the matter."

"Why? Is it because you think I'll go to the law? Tell them about you scheme to kill innocent people and practically resort the world to cannibalism? If that's what you're worried about, I won't."

"It's not that…"

"Then what is it? You don't trust me?"

A moment's pause, and then, "There are a lot of temptations out there, Madeline. Wouldn't want you to succumb to them."

"What the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?!"

"Stay here. I'll bring you up some food."

"Mr. Todd—"

Madeline never got to finish what she was about to say. The moment she opened her mouth again, the barber had walked out of the shop and locked the shop door, trapping her there. She ran up to the door and began slamming her fists against it.

"Sweeney!" she shouted. "Open this door!"

He looked at her through the window, giving her a slight smirk. With that, he walked down the stairs.

"Please! Sweeney! Open up!"

Against her better judgment, Madeline jiggled the handle, trying to get the door to budge. After several failed attempts, she let out an exasperated cry and ran to the bed. She laid there, holding onto his pillow and crying into it.

It was the first time in a long time that she felt so alone.

xxx

_~Earlier that Day~_

_Sweeney watched as Madeline slumped to the floor, completely unconscious and pale as a sheet. In his usually cold demeanor, he would have thought the action pathetic. But somewhere in the back of his mind, where his memories of days as Benjamin Barker still existed, he remembered a vital fact about his dear friend._

_The poor girl passes out at the sight of blood._

_Growling at the fact that he had forgotten, Sweeney flicked his razor closed and knelt beside the unconscious girl. He picked her up and then quickly placed her on his bed. He threw the covers on her, knowing that she always seemed to be cold by the time she woke up. Only this time, he wasn't sure how long it would take for her to wake up._

_The barber walked back to the chest that Pirelli, or Davey Collins as he revealed himself to be, was now rotting away in. He grabbed the cloth that was tied to his trousers and flicked his razor open again, cleaning it despite it being clean already._

_He kept his back turned towards the door, hiding what he was doing. Not only that, but he wanted to keep an eye on Madeline, to make sure that she was still breathing. He might have changed after all of those years in Australia, but that didn't mean that he had to be completely heartless towards his old friend._

_A moment later, the door to his shop opened and he heard an exasperated sigh coming from his neighbor._

"_That lad is drinkin' me out of house and home," the baker said, taking a look around the shop. Putting her hands on her hips, she asked, "How long 'til Pirelli gets back?"_

_Sweeney turned around as he continued to clean his razor. "He won't be back."_

_Seeing the blood stain on his shirt, Mrs. Lovett gasped. "Mr. T, you didn't."_

_No response. Just a look towards the chest. The baker carefully walked over to it and opened it slightly. Upon seeing the bloodied body of the incompetent barber, she gasped and closed the lid quickly. Looking up at Sweeney Todd, she said, "You're barkin' mad! Killin' a man wot done you no harm."_

_The barber took a moment to examine his razor. "He recognized me from the old days. Tried to blackmail me." He looked towards the chest with disgust. "Half me earnings."_

"_Oh, well, that's a different matter then. For a moment there, I thought ya lost your marbles."_

_Mrs. Lovett opened the lid all the way and examined Sweeney's handy work. "All that blood. Poor bugger…oh, well!" She bent over Pirelli's dead body and looted his purse off of him. "Well, waste not, want not."_

_She closed the lid carefully and looked up. That's when she noticed Madeline's unconscious form._

"_Is she—?"_

"_Relax, woman," the barber growled. "She only passed out. Can't stand the sight of blood."_

"_Ah. Well then…so, wot are we gonna do about the boy then?"_

_Sweeney looked at his razor for a second before saying, "Send him up."_

"_Oh, we don't need to worry about him. He's a simple thing."_

"_Send him up!" the barber exclaimed more demandingly._

_Mrs. Lovett stood up straight and looked at her neighbor. Surely she could convince him to leave the boy be._

"_Now, Mr. T, surely one's enough for t'day." She put on her best pouty face. "Besides, I was thinking of hirin' the lad to help run the shop. Me poor bones aren't wot they used to be."_

_Sweeney walked away from the baker, annoyed beyond all reason. "Alright," he said gratingly._

"_Of course, we're gonna 'alf to stock up on the gin. Boy drinks like a sailor."_

_But the barber wasn't paying attention. He was looking out the window when a particular sight caught his eye. One he was hoping and so anxious to see._

"_The Judge!" he exclaimed._

_He turned to Mrs. Lovett, who stood there with her eyes wide._

"_Get out," he told her._

_He grew impatient when the baker didn't move._

"_Get out!" he demanded._

_She nodded and made her wait out of the shop. She was halfway out of the door when she remembered Madeline._

"_But wot about—?"_

"_OUT!" Sweeney shouted._

_Mrs. Lovett didn't linger any longer. She quickly headed out of the door._

_Sweeney went to the vanity that acted as his desk as well. He tried to make it look presentable, but stopped when he saw the blood stain on his sleeve._

Shit_, he thought._

_He quickly grabbed his light blue jacket and slipped it on. And just in time too, because he heard the door open and close again. He quickly turned around and there he was. The man whom he hated with all his soul._

"_Mr. Todd," the Judge said._

"_At your service," Sweeney said as politely as he could manage. "An honor to receive your patronage, milord."_

_Judge Turpin was puzzled, to say the least. "You know me, sir?"_

"_Who in this wide world does not know the great Judge Turpin?"_

_And the Judge wasn't going to argue with that logic. He walked pass the barber, taking in his surroundings._

"_These premises are hardly prepossessing, and yet the Beadle tells me that you're the most accomplished out of all the barbers in London."_

"_That is gracious of him, sir," Sweeney said._

_Judge Turpin looked over and saw Madeline's sleeping form. "And who is this?"_

"_My wife," the barber blurted out. His own eyes widened at the response he gave the Judge._

Why did I tell him that? _he wondered. _Now he'll try to take her away from me as well. I've already lost Lucy to this monster; I don't need to lose my friend, too.

_The Judge simply nodded. "She's a beauty. You should hold on to her while you can, Mr. Todd."_

I plan on it.

_Sweeney walked up behind Judge Turpin and removed his coat. "And what may I do for you today, sir? A stylish trimming of the hair? Soothing skin message?" He noticed the Judge's hesitation and urged him to take a seat. "Sit, sir. Sit."_

"_Fetch the pomade and pumice stone. A sprinkling of some French cologne, perhaps. But I believe a shave is in order first, barber."_

"_The closest I ever gave."_

_Judge Turpin sat down in the chair and Sweeney place a white sheet over him. He mixed up the lather and then spread it over the Judge's face. It seemed that he was taking too long, thus making Turpin impatient._

"_If you make haste, when I wed, you'll be commended, sir," the Judge urged the barber._

_As Sweeney sharpened his razor, he asked, "Who, may I ask, is your intended, sir?"_

"_My ward," he said, a smirk playing at his lips. "A pretty little rosebud."_

"_Pretty as her mother?"_

_The Judge became confused. "Huh? What was that?"_

_Realizing his slip up, the barber quickly covered it up by saying, "Nothing, sir. Nothing. May we proceed?"_

_And proceed he did. He played the part of obedient barber well. As he shaved away the stubble on the Judge's face, Turpin said, "You know, barber, if I wasn't about to wed and you weren't already married, I would take your pretty bride away from you. Sweep her off her feet, as it were."_

_It was then that Sweeney wanted to end the Judge's life, then and there._

You already did, you bastard,_ he thought. _And you wish to take Madeline as yours? Over my dead body.

_But, he knew he needed to be patient. He did tell Madeline that they would both be there when the Judge met his end. Sweeney glanced over in her direction. He hoped that she would awaken soon._

_But, as he drew closer to being finished with the Judge, he knew he couldn't wait any longer. He needed to end it here and now. As he shave the last bit of stubble away, Sweeney drew his silver friend closer to Turpin's throat. He was seconds away from his revenge, seconds away from being free once more._

_That is, until the sailor, Anthony, burst into the shop._

_Now he and Madeline would never get their revenge._

* * *

A/N: There you go! Hopefully you guys can guess the movie reference correctly. I'm dying to draw a chibi-Sweeney (or cartoon Sweeney for those who have no idea what the hell I'm talking about)! They're so cute!

Don't forget to let me know what you think! I love feedback! Reviews are my drug...well, my second drug. My first drug is video games, in case you guys haven't noticed, hehehe. And don't forget to join me on Facebook. Don't be afraid to join the madness!

In other news, before I sign off for the night, I'm going to create another Sweeney Todd story. Yep! And this one's a crossover. I seem to be doing those a lot lately. This is going to be a crossover between ST and American McGee's Alice. If you don't know what that is, I have posted links to the Wiki pages for the series on my Facebook page. I'll also be adding those links to my profile page on this website as well :3 Summary guys: Best. Game. EVER!

Well...good night...or morning. *shrugs* I don't know.

~Xanthe :3


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